Jon Matcho

Thank YOU Wayne! I had a great time. I put a quick write-up w/pics on my Web site and here are some photo albums from others that were there: By Richard Hughes By Terry Lamp !!!

Welcome! Yes it does, and the only other thing I can think of is if that plane was painted a dark color, or had a dark stripe. That could cause the fiberglass skin to heat beyond the safe temperatures for the foam and/or epoxy (around ~150F), causing air pockets, delamination, and possibly what that guy described. Still, that's not to blame composite construction -- there are many other plane types out there that use foam and fiberglass. Here's a color chart that shows you should only paint your foam-fiberglass plane white and maybe some yellow (breakdown temps @ 140-150F): http://www.maddyhome.com/cozy/chapter?c=25&s=5

I want one like that! You have 6" cavities in your walls? I'm not sure I'm 'allowed' to have that much luxury in my garage/shop, but we'll see. You're missing a fridge. Is that just for looks? That's a spray-on texture surface, right? I wanted to do exactly the same, but I first had to knock down ~30 trees close to my house to make room, and now I need to grade and put a lawn in before there's a mutiny in my house. I ran out of money on the detached shop plan, but still aim to get there someday.

See attached... I guess you can call that "working"

Tell me about it... I'm about ready to snap with the shape I'm in for building. I have a project plan I'm working through so that I too can have a garage with something resembling a space shuttle in it. Once I'm done (this summer), my building will NEVER again be seasonal -- all year round!

I finally managed to catch Waiter working on his plane, at least petting it as far as I could tell. I missed the Infinity gear being extended, which would have been cool, but not enough frames per second to do it any justice. Oh lookie there... a helper. Just saw the gear being raised, by hand, and now taped into place. Neat stuff. www.iflyez.com

I stumbled on two prototype canard aircraft designs from Miles Aircraft, a British company. Here's a link, and attached is a 3-view of their twin-engine canard design. Both were built and flown, but apparently not produced. They also had a heavy bomber concept that does not appear to have been built. Miles M39B Libellula.pdf

I was saddened to discover this yesterday, having read posts from Paul on the COZY builder's mailing list just days earlier. Paul had recently completed his SQ2000, and was working on improving the cooling to his engine. We all feel a loss when a tragedy such as this happens, and we can only hope that some good will come from a review of the facts when they become available. I will post the official NTSB report when it becomes available, and here's all I can find right now: From an article in the Mobile Register (AL): Another SQ2000 builder's (Paul Lee) Web site with reference to Paul Conner. Conversion Concepts, Inc.'s (a rotary engine provider) Web site with reference to Paul Conner. The very preliminary report from the FAA (3rd record down) can be found here. The official NTSB report will eventually appear for May 2005. Mobile Register Article.pdf

Brett, welcome! There are a handful of modelers here, and that's always a good place to start w/dreams like these. There are a couple things in your design that should draw out some feedback from others, but I don't want to be the first to throw tomatoes -- it's a canard, and it's entirely allowed here. Be sure to post more pictures when you have them.

Sounds similar to what Carl Denk did on his plane (see attached pictures). Also note in the pictures the duct work, which connects the small NACA inlet under the nose for cabin ventilation. Carl said this was good for not allowing water/rain into the plane.

Less than 1 week away... Anyone planning on going? I'm planning to be there (hoping for weather to behave) so I can check out Wayne's plane and more...

I think it was an industrial strength sanding block, but is no longer available. That's okay, because the sanding blocks and tools from www.permagrit.com will last through building two Cozys (as I was told by the owner at SnF 2004). I got the 33" block (coarse one side, not-so-coarse the other) and the small angled block (WB140). I'm going to get anoter small box block because I use the angled block mostly -- they are must-have tools. Here's my accumulated list of other must-have tools (through Chapter 4): http://www.canardzone.com/members/JonMatcho/tools_must_have.htm

What/where is the windscreen on a Cozy/AeroCanard? I don't think this one is worth the effort or necessary. I read in a recent Cozy newsletter that someone improved the "standard" heat muff to have more than enough heat (t-shirts in winter). This is for the kit-built AeroCanard; the plans-built AeroCanard doesn't use either of these. Just FYI everyone. That had to be a fun and nimble plane. How long did that take you to build? You go! That sounds great. I have several week's worth of major property/dwelling upgrades to coordinate before building again, but after that I'll be year-round capable.

No argument here -- very well thought out. It would be interesting to do a performance comparison on the "old" plane and yours. Why? I don't know, but I'm sure a comparison would give you some insight into your aircraft. Now that would be cool -- put a 18-month time limit on owning it. After that it needs to go back into escrow for the next builder. I forget where I read that if you bought and pickled a bunch of Lycoming engines way back, and sold today, your return on investment would be no joke.

Jerry, was reading your Web site and see that you're mentioning Lycoming, but not the Superior? Have you changed your mind? I'm thinking www.xp-360.com myself.

Not that anyone misses this, but I removed the 'hot-tub' sub-forum some time ago. There were not any canard-related posts there.

Here's an interesting point to consider whether a twin-engine approach is worth the effort... the FAA has recently formalized requirements for twin-engine experimental aircraft: http://www.canardzone.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1282

So for all the Defiant builders, they'll have to add additional time on top of the 5,000 hours to build to acquire a multi-engine rating. What's involved with that? I can't imagine anyone who'd be satisfied with building a Defiant and then NOT being able to take someone up. Any other opinions on this? Some might be screaming conspiracy, but with Sport Pilot opening things up I don't see the FAA in this position. It's one thing I'm impressed with after 9/11 -- Americans continue to be allowed to fly without hardly any new restrictions.

I have a video with Rutan and Melvill from a couple decades ago that I've watched at least 5 times -- some stuff just doesn't get old.

Nothing wrong with that at all -- it's one of the great features of this mode of communication. I'm hoping I can upgrade my 1 cubic foot worth of AeroCanard VHS tapes. I've been meaning to fire up the VHS player to see how the AeroCanard achieves a front bench seat. What makes you think that?

Congratulations on that move! Tell us about the SX kit... is it basically an AeroCanard FG with new top and forward opening canopy? Any better pictures than what they show on the Web site? I'm trying to imagine how you get in and out, but think that the SX top shown on their Web site gets cut at some stage of assembly. Lucky! I bought those big bulky VHS tapes. I need to watch one to see how the AeroCanard kit pulls off a front bench seat. Not sure if I'd want that anyway though -- maybe.

Have you received any flak for that yet? Do you expect to?

There are a couple theories here: Burt Rutan will assume all of Marc's Cozy-related responsibilities, or Since it is a physiological impossibility for Marc NOT to answer questions from the unenlightened, he will continue working two jobs (Scaled and Cozy support) Pick one. Keep the thoughts coming Len -- I don't consider them half-baked, but more like hot chocolate chip cookies fresh out of the oven. Well... better start working on filling the void!

My guess is that the new AeroCad may be trying to play nice with the community at large by taking the plans controversy out of the picture -- out of sight, and out of mind. Just my suspicion/hope, but would be really nice if it were true and they do indeed renew the business of making Cozy and AeroCanard parts.

Not sure if this helps, but there's a builder here who is knowledgeable about Subaru engines (although he's converting a EG33). You can find him here: www.canardzone.com/members/PhillipJohnson